Trial to Commence for Spain’s Ex-Football Chief Luis Rubiales Following Controversial Kiss Incident

Former football chief of Spain, Luis Rubiales (47), faces trial on Monday for the non-consensual kiss he forcibly delivered to star forward Jenni Hermoso (34), who is expected to testify.

Rubiales sparked global outrage when he cupped Hermoso’s head and planted an unsolicited kiss on her following Spain’s victory over England in the 2023 Women’s World Cup held in Australia.

Prosecutors are pursuing a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales, which includes one year for sexual assault due to the forced kiss and an additional 18 months for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to minimise the incident.

The kiss occurred “unexpectedly and without the player’s consent or acceptance,” as stated in the prosecution’s indictment.

“Constant and repeated pressure was placed directly on player Jennifer Hermoso and through her family and friends, aiming to justify and publicly endorse the kiss that Luis Rubiales gave her against her will,” it further noted.

The much-anticipated trial commences at the National Court in San Fernando de Henares, near Madrid, at 10:00 am and is projected to continue until February 19th.

Rubiales is slated to testify on February 12th. He has described the kiss as a harmless “peck between friends celebrating” and has refuted any claims of coercion.

Also facing charges alongside Rubiales are former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and two previous federation officials, Ruben Rivera and Albert Luque. They are also accused of attempting to coerce Hermoso, with prosecutors seeking 18 months’ imprisonment for each of them.

Historic Success Overshadowed

The scandal that rocked Spanish football and dismantled Rubiales’ career erupted on August 20, 2023, shortly after the women’s national team secured World Cup success in Sydney.

As Hermoso celebrated with her teammates while receiving their winner’s medals, Rubiales held her head and kissed her before releasing her with two pats on the back.

This act triggered public outrage, deemed by many as an abuse of power. A recent amendment to the Spanish criminal code categorises a non-consensual kiss as sexual assault.

Rubiales, who was already under investigation for alleged corruption relating to his role as federation president, ultimately succumbed to pressure and resigned in September 2023, just two days after an investigation into the kiss commenced. He had held the position since 2018.

The recent Netflix documentary “Se acabó” (“It’s over”) reflects on the players’ frustration regarding how the scandal overshadowed their remarkable achievement, with Hermoso revealing in the film that she cried after the kiss.

Hermoso, the all-time leading scorer for the national women’s team, now playing in Mexico, disclosed that the federation pressured her to appear in a video claiming that Rubiales’ kiss “was nothing, it was… joy, euphoria.”